Mr Carl Mincher - Weekly Update

Dear Parents,

Peace One Day activities started and ended this busy week at APS. Year 9 parents and students have formally embarked on their decision making around IGCSE options and the PTG have delivered on another tremendous student event.

Peace One Day Assembly

The Sixth Form Events Committee launched the Peace One Day (POD) with a thought provoking assembly that caused us all to consider how we can commit to peace and challenge conflict where it exists. They presented on the aims of POD 2015 encourage us to make or strengthen peace on an individual and group level and on how we would be wearing white ribbons to symbolise our commitment to peace on national or even international levels.

Acitvities throughout the week gave everyone the opportunity to engage with POD and make a meaningful contribution to this year’s Peace One Day movement

Sixth Form Assembly to launch Peace One Day

Students engaging in Peace One Day Quiz

Students making their commitment to peace across the globe

BIS students wearing white to symbolise peace and signal our commitment to peace across the planet.

Year 9 Options Evening

Our year 9 students embarked upon the decision making for their IGCSE Options this week at our annual Year 9 Options Evening and 'subject fair'. This is an exciting time in their school career. This is the first time these students will have had the opportunity to make significant decisions about what thay study. This is, for most, the first of many academic decisions that will define their own distinctive path through life. As always, the best decisions will be taken after listening to good advice. This was an evening full of good advice for students and parents alike but is only the start of the journey.

Mr Ben Turner, Deputy Headteacher explained the timeline for the process and what should be gained from the evening along with some specific information relating to options choices. His presentation can be found here.

This was followed by a "subject fair" where teachers and students from the option subjects were on hand to answer any questions. Our current year 11 students also attended to offer a first-hand account of the subject requirements and demands from their perspective. This part was informal and a chance for families to focus on their areas of interest. Mr. Crowley, our Careers & University Guidance Counsellor was also in attendance for consultation.

Maths Careers Talk and Problem Solving Workshop

Students and teachers were treated to a talk by our guest speaker, Jeff Anderson from the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at The University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Mr Anderson has spent his career working in mathematics education and also in industry. He has worked with former students to build sophisticated data transfer devices which are used today to broadcast live TV footage without the need for expensive remote broadcasting trucks. If you would like learn more about his visit, click here.

Fixtures calendar underway

Last week our U14 girls basketball team made an excellent start to the season with a strong 20-12 win over SSIS. The match report is here Congratulations on showing such a strong team spirit girls.

Our Senior Boys Basketball followed this with a convincing performance on Friday in their first match of the season against a touring team from the Anglo-Chinese School International Singapore. Their coach is Mr Teo Chin Hong, is a former player of Singapore national team.

The BIS boys went in determined to maintain last year's undefeated streak and were not disappointed with a 79-44 win at the sound of the final buzzer. The team were very pleased to have great support from their fellow students who cheered them on in large number. Read here for more on this match from Year 13 player JK Kazzi.

Congratulations to both teams!

Traffic Management

In light of the recent community discussions and our own awareness of the growing traffic congestion problem in An Phu, the school management team have met to discuss what further steps we can take as a school and as a BIS community to influence change and improvement. Read more... Whilst these discussions continue can I ask all parents take some time to discuss the ‘Drivers Code of Conduct’ with their drivers to ensure the safety of students and to reduce congestion outside the APP and APS gates. Your help in this is very much appreciated.

PTG Quiz

This terms quiz was a great way to finish the week with a host of demanding questions to test the best general , sporting, science, movie and music knowledge brains. As ever, leading the quiz was IT and Computing teacher, Ms Claire Easter with her never ending supply of brain teasers.

You can share in the quiz by clicking here where you will find a sample of this week’s questions. How did you do? Answers in my next post.

Looking ahead.

Please note our school calendar for 2016-17 is now published on the school website.

Once again I thank you for taking the time to read this update of events,